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Is The Resurrection Believable?
Contributed by Francis Camacho on Jul 9, 2002 (message contributor)
Summary: 4 Credible Evidences. Before we can prove the resurrection, we need to prove that Christ actually died, that the tomb was empty, that the resurrected Christ actually appeared to many, and that there were profound differences in the life of the witnesses.
Is the Resurrection Believable?
4 Credible Evidences
Citation: Case For Christ by Lee Strobel
1Now I want to make clear for you, brothers and sisters, the gospel that I preached to you, that you received and on which you stand 2and by which you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message I preached to you-unless you believed in vain.
3 For I passed on to you as of first importance what I also received-that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, 4 and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures,
5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.
7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as though to one born at the wrong time, he appeared to me also.
Introduction
-- The Resurrection
-- The most critical event in history !
-- The most critical event in Christianity (1 Cor. 15:14) !
-- The most critical event in personal history !
-- Is the Resurrection credible?
-- How should effect us?
1. Evidences that Jesus actually died.
-- Did Jesus actually die or did he just collapse?
-- The torture before the cross
---- Hematidrosis
---- The skin is extremely fragile.
-- Flogging
-- The agony of the cross
---- Slow death
---- Asphyxiation
---- Spear on the right side
---- Blood and water
---- Roman soldiers were expert executioners.
2. Evidences that the tomb was empty.
-- Was Jesus really buried in the tomb?
-- Verses 3-7
---- Is it just a legend?
---- Early creed, as early as 2-5 years after the actual event
---- Women were the first witnesses
---- Both Jesus’ friends and enemies testified that the tomb was empty.
3. Evidences that Jesus reappeared to many.
-- Dead people normally don’t reappear
-- He appeared to Cephas (Peter)
-- Then to the Twelve disciples
-- Then to the 500 people
-- Critics can actually interview these people (verse 6)
-- Evidences that Jesus reappeared to many.
-- Sir Edward Clarke:
“To me the evidence is conclusive, and over and over again in the High Court I have secured the verdict on evidence not nearly so compelling. As a lawyer, I accept the gospel evidence unreservedly as testimony of truthful men to facts that they were able to substantiate.”
4. Circumstantial evidences
-- The disciples died for their beliefs
-- The conversion of the skeptics
---- James the brother of Christ
---- Saul of Tarsus who persecuted Christians
-- Changes to key social structures
-- Communion and Baptism
-- The emergence of the church
How then shall we live?
-- If Jesus actually resurrected, then He was God in human flesh.
-- If Jesus is God, then He is worthy of our praises, our lives, sacrifices and obedience.
